The production of mailer type business forms using pressure sealing equipment has been one of the most significant advances in the mailer art in many years. There are now a number of well known commercial products manufactured by Moore Business Forms, Inc. of Lake Forest, Ill. which successfully perform this function, including the Moore 8158/4800 system, and the Moore 4400 and 4420 systems, such as generally shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,397,427 and 5,378,303, and in co-pending application Ser. No. 07/605,797 filed Oct. 31, 1990. While these systems are enormously successful in performing their intended functions, there are expected limitations in the further development of these systems due primarily to the combined requirements for floor space, weight, and relatively high cost, which limit the lower-end utilization of this technology. For example the extremely versatile and successful 8158 folder/4800 sealer system combines two or three separately developed and manufactured machines into a processing line which requires a combined floor space "footprint" of up to 80 square feet, and which weighs over a thousand pounds.
According to the present invention, a system, system components, and methods are provided which take advantage of the numerous benefits of the Moore pressure sealing systems but in a manner designed to accommodate needs of the lower-end utilization of this technology. The system according to the present invention is much smaller than most complete conventional systems, integrating into a single machine module a folder, inserter, pressure sealer, and separator. The machine easily accomplishes the basic folding and sealing functions, and optionally allows passive or intelligent insertion, mark sensing or bar-code reading for batch separation at the delivery end (or for audit control), postal franking, and/or other features which individual users can install and use for typical mailing or processing requirements, all with the same basic integrated system.
One way in which the invention can readily accomplish the desired functions in an integrated system is its utilization of a generally downward feed of the forms and form elements. At the bottom of the integrated system, the forms are delivered in a horizontal direction in stacks that are vertically oriented. A common motor drive may be provided for the folder and the sealer. The entire system is mounted in or on a common housing which is portable, capable of being rolled from place to place by just one worker, and weighing only 1/6-1/3 as much as conventional commercial systems capable of folding, pressure sealing, and insertion.
According to one aspect of the present invention an integrated system for folding, inserting and pressure sealing mailer-type business forms is provided. The system comprises the following elements: A common housing mounted on movable elements (such as castors, wheels, rollers, or slides), the common housing mounting in or on it: A folder for folding paper sheets with pressure-activated adhesive to form pre-mailers. An inserter mounted for receipt of pre-mailers from the folder for inserting insert elements into the pre-mailers from the folder within areas thereof defined by the pressure-activated adhesive. A pressure sealer module mounted for receipt of pre-mailers from the inserter for pressure sealing the pre-mailers to form mailer type business forms. And, a delivery device for delivering sealed forms in one or more stacks. The system also optionally comprises a job separator mounted for receipt of sealed mailers from the pressure sealer to separate the mailers into different stacked groups, or alternatively a simple conveyor system may be utilized to discharge a single stack of sealed mailers. The integrated system is especially effective by providing a generally downward feed of the folded sheets, inserts, and completed mailers, allowing inserts and folded sheets to be readily provided at the top of the unit, and the stacked mailers to be withdrawn from a readily accessible horizontally disposed conveyor.
The folder utilized in the integrated system according to the invention may comprise any conventional compact folder which is capable of feeding and pattern folding into Z, C, and/or V configurations. Particularly desirable are buckle folders equipped with either "on demand" feed initiation of each sheet, or with uniformly spaced infeed separation of each sheet. An example of the "on demand" feeder unit is the feeder on the M-B 8158 folder. An example of a folder with a uniformly spaced infeed separation of each sheet is a Brusko reciprocating shoe feeder. One particularly desirable folder that may be utilized is a M-B model 3482 auto-set folder with bottom feed, the only modification to that design that is necessary being the elimination of the final delivery conveyor.
The folder is capable of folding paper sheets with pressure-activated adhesive such as the type used in conventional pressure sealing equipment such as sold by Moore Business Forms, Inc. of Lake Forest, Ill., and as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,303 (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein). The pressure sealer module utilized according to the present invention is also preferably substantially exactly what is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,303, marketed as the model 4420 "Piano-Key" sealer by Moore Business Forms. The major difference between the sealer according to the invention and the 4420 is that the sealer according to the present invention is mounted in a vertical orientation so the documents proceed downwardly from an insertion station through the sealer, and then to the diverter and delivery stations. [However any conventional arrangement of pressure rollers (such as the roller assemblies per se in U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,427 and co-pending application Ser. No. 07/605,797) may be utilized.]
The preferred inserter provided is preferably a unique inserter according to the present invention which provides redundant error-detection, and speed and position matching techniques to effectively feed an insert into the primary document in an effective and space-saving manner. In the preferred embodiment the inserter comprises the following components: First and second vacuum drums mounted for rotation about substantially parallel axes and each having a peripheral surface. First and second rollers. At least one conveyor element extending between the peripheral surface of each of the first and second vacuum drums and the first and second rollers, respectively, conveyor elements from each of the first and second vacuum drums and rollers in operative association with each other to convey a business form therebetween. Means for rotating the vacuum drums about the axes so that both of the vacuum drums are rotatable clockwise and counterclockwise. At least one sensor for sensing the position of a business form with respect to the vacuum drums. And, means for directing an insert element into a business form between the vacuum drums and held thereby.
The inserter as described above includes a plurality of particularly mounted sensors typically which sense the paper edges of the insert and business form into which the insert is provided, to monitor the correct sheet position. This provides effective error detection, redundant at every step, which assures the clean operation of the components in order to prevent destructive jams which might mutilate the forms and cause down time of the equipment. Input scanning logic, either by intelligent mark or bar-code reading, may be used to initiate the inserter operation, or if intelligent scanning is not necessary simple primary document counting or sensing may be utilized to initiate the cycle. Typically the first drum periphery is above the second drum periphery and the inserter above the second drum periphery, and the drums are powered together so that when one rotates counterclockwise the other rotates clockwise, and vice versa. Guides are provided between the drums and from the folder and inserter to guide the various components into proper orientation, and rollers associated with the drum surfaces may extend through or adjacent the guides to facilitate holding of the form elements on the drums. A computer controller is preferably provided for controlling all of the operations, and there is a downward orientation of belts from the drums so that the forms are moved downwardly into the vertically oriented (downwardly directed) pressure sealer.
The invention also relates to a method of inserting an insert element, having a leading edge, between first and second business form flaps having a first end at which the flaps are attached to each other, and a second open end opposite the first end, such as a single sheet of paper that has been V or Z folded. The method comprises the steps of automatically: (a) Moving the business form flaps from an initial position in a first direction, with the first end leading, until the first end is in a first position. Then, (b) engaging the first and second flaps, and moving the business form first end from the first position in a second direction substantially opposite the first direction, while simultaneously moving the first and second flaps apart, until a second position is reached. (c) Feeding an insert element in a third direction, different from the first and second directions, so that the leading edge thereof moves between the first and second flaps into a third position particularly located with respect to the first end of the business form. And, (d) after steps (b) and (c), moving the flaps first end in the first direction while simultaneously moving the flaps together so that they substantially surround the insert element.
The method typically also includes the step of sensing the leading edges of the insert sheet and the flaps, and the various movements of the components are effected automatically in response to that sensing. Also the components are positively guided during movement. The insert sheet is inserted substantially linearly, contacting only the second flap until the leading edge thereof engages the first flap.
Downstream of the pressure sealer in the direction of form movement, a delivery device is provided for delivering the sealed forms in one or more stacks. In the simplest embodiment, first and second conveyors merely move the forms downwardly from the pressure sealer, then deflect them a small amount in a first horizontal direction, while continuing to move them downwardly, and then vertically stack them on an intermediately moving conveyance surface after deflection and downward movement into contact with the conveyance surface. This results in delivery of a vertical stack of forms in a horizontal direction from the housing of the integrated system.
Under some circumstances it is desirable to separate the forms into different jobs. This may be accomplished by utilizing a more complex and sophisticated form of the delivery device just described above. The separator so provided--while preferably used in the integrated system according to the invention--may have other uses as a separator for other types of business form equipment.
According to another aspect of the present invention a separator for separating business forms into displaced groups of forms that is provided comprises the following components: A first conveyor assembly comprising first and second substantially parallel rollers, and rotatable about axes, with at least one endless conveyor element extending between them. A second conveyor assembly comprising first and second rollers substantially parallel to each other and to the first conveyor assembly rollers, and rotatable about axes, with at least one endless conveyor element extending between them. The first and second conveyor assemblies mounted so that the conveyor elements thereof are substantially in face to face engagement with each other, for conveying a business form between them in a first direction. A third conveyor assembly comprising a deflecting element for deflecting the leading edge of a business form exiting the first and second conveyor assemblies in the first direction to move in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and then to continue conveyance in the first direction, the third conveyor assembly mounted immediately adjacent the first and second conveyor assemblies for receiving a business form conveyed thereby in the first direction. A fourth conveyor assembly comprising a conveyance surface substantially perpendicular to the first direction and movable in the second direction, the conveyance surface cooperating with the third conveyor assembly to stop movement of a business form in the first direction. And, means for shifting at least the first rollers of the first and second conveyor assemblies along their axes of rotation to displace them in a third direction substantially perpendicular to both the first and second directions.
In the separator described above the third conveyor assembly preferably comprises a continuation of the second conveyor assembly, including having conveyor elements (e.g. tapes) in common. Also the second roller of the first conveyor is preferably mounted so that it is at the top of the forms as they are moved in the stack, so as to impart an initial horizontal (in the correct direction) movement to the top of each sealed mailer, in succession, to facilitate the stacking and conveyance action. A sensor is typically provided before the first and second conveyors for reading bar-coding or other indicia on the mailer so as to determine when a particular job is over and when the shifting means should be operated, the entire drive components associated with the separator typically being controlled by the same computer controller as described above with respect to the inserter. Typically the conveyance surface of the fourth conveyor assembly comprises conveyor tapes which are spaced from each other in the third direction, and intermeshed with conveyor tapes from the third conveyor, the conveyor tapes from the third conveyor being elastic. A movable back stop also preferably comprises part of the fourth conveyor assembly, mounted on the conveyance surface for guided movement therealong.
The invention also relates to a method of separating different groups of business forms by, at spaced time intervals, displacing them. The method comprises the following the steps: (a) One after the other, moving the business forms in a first direction with a leading edge of each business form in the first direction. (b) Deflecting the leading edge of each business form, in sequence, so that it moves in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and then continues movement in the first direction. (c) Terminating movement of each business form, in sequence, in the first direction so that a stack of business forms is formed extending in the second direction with the leading edges thereof perpendicular to the second direction. (d) At spaced time intervals, displacing the business forms in a third direction, substantially perpendicular to both the first and second directions, so that they when they are moved in the first direction they are displaced in the third direction, to form a displaced stack of business forms extending in the second direction. And, (e) accommodating the increase in the size of the stack, and displaced stack, in the second direction.
The first direction in which the forms are moved is preferably downward. Step (e) is typically practiced at spaced time intervals moving forms in the stack in the second direction. Sensing of the forms is typically accomplished in order to effect step (d). The forms are preferably mailer-type business forms from a sealer, such as a pressure sealer.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide for the compact, simple, yet effective folding, sealing, and optional insertion and job separating, handling of business forms, particularly mailer-type business forms. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.